Container



E. 0. THEN Feb. 13, 1945.

CONTAINER Filed June 6 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS Feb. 13, 1945. E.OQTHEN CONTAINER Filed June 6 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /7 /f Z6 ii? 17 /74Z2 (3 U z 26 Z; Iii: i i i INVENIOR $14 Aw: W.

ATTo'RNEYs Patented Feb. 13, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I2,369,].88 I i CONTAINER Edward 0. Then, Newark, N. .L, assignor toAmerican Can Company, New York, N. Y., a

corporation of New Jersey I 7 Application June'G, 1941, Serial No.396.930

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a sheet metal canor container having a tearingstrip set oil by score lines cut in the outer wall fold of a bodyextension and has particular reference to anintegral hinge elementlocated in a longitudinal soldered lock seam extending between theend-closure members which are secured to the body wall andto the bodyextension to provide a body of increased strength, the removal of thetearingv strip providing a hinged reclosure for the container.

dinally soldered lock side seam extending between end closure memberssecured to the body parts such as is described in my copendingapplication of even date and identified by Serial Num-. ber 396,929,.nowPatent No, 2,325,084.

The invention relates'to aconstruction of a hinged closure can in whichthe can body wall proper is fully locked and soldered so that the lockseam feature extends between the ends of the can. Such a can also isprovided with an integral folded body extension which does notafiect'the full locking side seam principlefor the can throughout itsentire height. The body extension in this can is cut away at the sideseam and the usual solder applying operation mayfbe utilized in themanufacture of the can since the cut-away body extensionwalls areremoved where the solder is being applied to the side seam. The hingingelement includes hinge tabs formedintegrally with the body wall andsecured into the end closure joint. a x a An object of the invention isthe provision of a tearing strip container having a fully lockedbody,'the side seam of which extends from one end of the can to theother, such a can having an additional double wall body extensionadjacent its upperend, and having hinge tabs struck. out from the bodywall proper or from the body extension so that upon removal ,of thetearing strip in opening the can such hinge tabs become effec-, tive toproduce a hinged reclosure member for the opened can. I

Another object of the invention is the provision of a can of thecharacter described wherein the double folded body wall extension isucutaway adjacent the side seam to permit application of solder for thefully locked side seam and wherein the hinging elements include a hingetab projected from the body walladjacent such body exwalls of the bodyextension at the locked seam where it is secured in the upper end joint.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the followin description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

' Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the sealed container embodying thepresent invention; I

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the upper end portions ofa flat blank from which the body of the container is made;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of opposite upper ends of thebody blank. shown in Fig.

2 after being folded and after theblank has been formed into tubularshape and illustrating integral hinge tabs projecting from the body wallproper; I

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary face viewof that partof the container body shownin Fig. 3 after being locked,-lapped and joined together;

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged sectional details at the longitudinal jointof the container body, as

in a partially open position following the removal of the tearing strip;1

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. '7 showing the container further openedby hinging of its reclosure member; s g

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2- andshowing. amodified form of fiat blank wherein the hinge tab is cut from adifferent wall part of the container body; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of opposite upper ends of thebody blank shown in Fig. 9 after being folded and after the blank hasbeen formed into tubular shape.

As a preferred embodiment of the invention.

the drawings illustrate a cylindrical sheet metal container I! (Fig. 1)having a tubular body [2 the opposite edges of which arejoined togetherin a. longitudinal fully locked side seam l3. The body also has acircumferential multiple folded wall l4 adjacent its upper end. Top andbottom end closures l5 and it are secured to the'body in double and seamjoints l'l.

The body I2 is produced from a flat body blank M (Fig. 2). Such a bodyblank may be unooated.

on one or both sides or printed or lithographed as desiredas in the caseof decorated containers.

The body blank I 8 is: formed, with a tearing tongue I9 at one edge'ofthe blank and with-a projecting binge; tab; .22 which isspafiedbeIOWi-heg -notch leading directly into the score line.

of bend or fold 35, 31 set off opposite marginal most wall 26.

' tongue at the same edge. A projecting hinge tab longitudinalside seam.Sucha container body 2 gral outer wall fold or extension 26. The hingetabs 22 and 23 extend up from the body wall section 24 and are notchedor slit in a suitable manner as at 21, 28 to separate each tab from theintermediate body wall extension '25. This" provides for a distinct lineof bend or fold 29' between the major body wall section. and theintermediate wall extension 25. A line of bend or fold 32, which isparallel to the line of bend 29 and also to the upper end of the sheet,designates the boundary between'the sections 25 and 26.

The outer wall extension 26 has parallel score lines 33'which setoff atearing strip 34. Such a tearing strip terminates in the tearing tongueI9 at one end of the blank. A V-shaped notch 35 is cut in the edge ofthe wall extension 26 on each side'of the tearing tongue, the apex ofeach Lines edges 38, 39 of the body blank section 24.

Fig. 3, of the drawing illustrates the upper portions of the two edgesof the body blank 13 after the intermediate and outer wall extensions 25and 26 have been folded along the lines of bend 29, 32 and have beenshaped into the double wall extension M. The folded body is then formedinto tubular shape. This View also shows how the intermediate and outerwall extensions are cut away at the longitudinal seam region leaving thetop of the hinge tabs 22 and 23 in the same horizontal plane as the topof the outer- The marginal edge 38 is folded inwardly to form the outerhook section for the lock seam of the container body. The marginal edge39 likewise is folded but in an outwardly direction to form .the innerhook of the seam; The tongue l9 may be folded back upon the outermostwall extension 26 where it is disposed parallel with the outer wall. Toavoid crystallization of the stock, the bent section of the tongue maybe formed as an open loop.

Fig. 3 of the drawings discloses that a rolling or similar operation hasbeen performed on the major body wall surface 24 so that this body wallabove a line of depression 42 has been necked-in to provide a depressedpocket 43 for a purpose hereinafter described. The side seam region,however, is not depressed but remains unaltered.

The inner and outer hook sections of the folded marginal edges 38, 39upon being interlocked when the can body is fully formed, constitute thelongitudinal lock seam. As will be subsequently explained, such a seamextends substantially the full body height of the container.

26 in the fully bumped container body overlap upon the hinged tabs 22and 23 adjacent the;

is now ready for soldering of the side seam and for sealing of the bodyextension edges The fiuxing and soldering of the longitudinal side seammayfbe done in the usual manner. The solder is usually applied to theexterior of the body by a solder roll and the construction of the fullybumped container which includes a continuous flush surface along theside seam, permits such application. I

The open space between adjacent edges of the.

cut-away Wall extensions 25, 26 together with the space afforded by theturned-back tongue 19 insures unrestricted access to the seam crack bythe v At such completion of the can body, the hook sections of thesoldering roller. Such a solder line therefore extends as an unbrokenbandfor the full length of the lockseam on the container body wall. Atthe same time the solder enters between the edges at the cut-away bodywalls of the extension and also bondssuch-walls together andsecures thewalls to the container body wall in a hermetic seam.

The fully soldered container body is now ready to receive its bottom endi6 (Fig. 1). Such a. body may be flanged in the conventional manner,whereupon the bottom is .double'seamed or oth rwise secured in positionto form the end seam N. This prepares the can for receiving itsconoutermost wall extension 26 and to the extended hinged tabs 22 and 23in the end seam IT. This completely seals the. container with itscontents.

Such sealed containers usually have a slotted key 44 secured to thecover l5, as by welding, for convenience in opening."

When the container is tobe opened, the tearing strip 34 may be removedby engagement of the slotted key 44 with the turned back tearing tongueI9. By reason of the tongue being turned back in the winding-offdirection only a partial turn of the key, after it has been fullyapplied, sufiices to fully seize the tearing strip so that it is easilybroken along the score line.

7 Removal of the tearing strip 34'from the outermost wall extensionopens the container and leaves only the hinged tabs 22, 23 as aconnection with the open container (Figs. land 8). Since the hinged tabsconstitute extensions of the body proper and comprise the outer layersof the completed can they permit unrestricted outward bending at theside seam; This permits raising the cover at the opposite side to removethe container contents. The flexibility of the hinged tabs 22 and 23permit repeated opening and closing of the cover as a reclosure member.

The reclosure upon being swung into closed position on its hingedconnection allows the severed marginal portion of the outermost wallextension 26 which still remains secured to the cover, to frictionallyengage with and over the intermediate wall extension 25. At the sametime a depending annular wall 45 of the cover I5 frictionally engagesinside of the smooth bodywall 24 with an interior friction fit.

Figures 9 and 10 of the drawings showa modified form of the inventionwherein the hinging element comprises a single hinge tab 46 which is cutat one edge of a body blank 47. This body blank is similar in certainrespects to'the blank l6 (Fig. 2) and also includesa tearing tongue 48which is spaced above the projecting hinge tab.v

Such a hinge *tab, however, may be formed at the oppositefedge, of thesheet if desired and will,

function in the same manner as the form shown.

The body blank 4'! like body blank 18, has a major body wall section 49,an intermediate body wall extension 52. and .an outer body wallextension or section 53. The hinge tab 46 is notched or slit at 54, 55in the material at the end of the blank 49 to separate it from theintermediate body wall extension 52 so that it may be folded as anintegral part of the latter extension along a line of bend or fold 56.The opposite edge of the sheet is notched or slit as at 51 so that adistinct line of bend or fold 58 may be provided between the major bodywall section 49 and the intermediate wall extension 52. Similarly a lineof bend 59 which is parallel to the line of bend or fold 58 designatesthe boundary between thewall extensions 52 and 53.

Substantially all other details present in the body blank 41 (Fig. 9)have hereinbefore been illustrated and described in connection with thebody blank l8 of Fig. 2. Fig. 10 of the drawings shows the body blank 41folded and formed in tubular shape as by the same procedure as was thebody blank 18 of Fig. 3. The former view is arranged to extend out andlap-over the outermost wall extension 53 at the opposite edge of thebody and to be secured thereto when the lock side seam is soldered. Thehooked edges of the fully prepared body 41 are finally interlocked inthe conventional manner and all the subsequent operations which followto complete a sealed container are similar to those which have beenhereinbefore described.

Opening of a sealed container embodying a single hinge tab is the sameas when two hinge tabs are used and provides a similar hinge connectionand reclosure feature.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and-it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A sealed metallic container, comprising a tubular body having alongitudinal s de seam and having an integral folded double wall bodyextension at its upper end and on the outside, the outermost wall of thebody extension containing a tearing strip set'cff by score lines andterminating in a tongue, a bottom end closure secured to the lower endof said body, a top end closure secured to the outermost wall of saidextension, sa d tubular body wall being bent inwardly to provide a flushexterior surface for said outermost extension wall and the tubular bodywall below said extension wall, saidlongitudinal side seam extendingbetween the top and bottom end closures as a smooth continuous sectionthrough said bent wall part to .close and strengthen the body, said bodywall having a plurality of integral overlapping and outwardly projectinghinge tabs constituting longitudinally disposed prolongations of saidside seam embodied in said top end and body connection, said tearingstrip being removable to open the container to adapt said tabs forhinging action of said top and closure thereon with its attachedoutermost-body wall extension as a reclosure member having frictionalengagement with the inner wall of said body extension.

2. A hinge cover tearing strip metallic container of the reclosure type,comprising a tubular body having an integral circumferential multiplefold in its wall adjacent one end, the outermost of said folded wallscontaining a tearing strip set off by score lines, and an end closuresecured to the said outermost wall, said body having a longitudinal lockside seam extending to the joint be-' v tween said body and closure toclose and strengthen the body, the inner wall of said folded wallshaving an integral projecting hinge tab disposed in the plane of saidinner wall and extending longitudinally outwardly from and disposed in3. A sealed metallic container comprising a tubular body having at itsupper end an integral folded double wall body extension on the outside,the outermost wall of the body extension containing a tearing strip setoff by score lines and termi- 'nating in a tongue, a bottom end closuresecured.

to the lower end of said body, and a top end closure secured to theoutermost wall of said extension, said body having a longitudinalsoldered side seam extending between the top and bottom, end closures toclose and strengthen the body, said body wall having a plurality ofintegrally formed overlapping and outwardly projecting hinge tabsdisposed adjacent said side seam, said hinge tabs being embodied in theinnermost wall of said top end'and body connection and extendinglongitudinally outwardly from said side seam, the double Wall bodyextensions being cut away and soldered adjacent and in substantialalignment with said side seam, said tearing strip being removable toopen the container, whereby the top end closure with its attachedoutermost body wall folded wall extension containing a tearing strip setoiT by score lines, and an end closure secured to the said extensionwall, said body having a.

longitudinal lock side seam extending to the joint between said body andclosure to close and strengthen the body, said body wall having aplurality of integral overlapping and outwardly projecting hinge tabsdisposed on opposite sides of said side seam and embodied in said endand body connection, said hinge tabs extending longitudinally outwardlyfrom and disposed in alignment with the lock portion of said side seam,said tearing strip being removable to open the container, 1

whereby to adapt said tabs forhinging action of said: end closure as areclosure member, said inner wall of the body extension of said openedcontainerproviding a seat for said reclosure member.

EDWARD O. THEN.

